THRALL ISD
Officials: Change based on unsafe transportation
THRALL — A middle school teacher’s plea to be reinstated as an assistant track coach fell on deaf ears at a jam-packed and sometimes emotional meeting this past week of the Thrall Independent School District.
District officials said Katina Flournoy-Walker was removed for unsafe handling of a school vehicle on athletic trips, but her attorney argued trustees have violated her dualcontract agreement.
“Her contract is clear and explicit, and we do not believe that it has been honored,” said Brandon Brim of Brim, Robinett & Brim P.C. after the hearing Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Dozens turned out to support Flournoy-Walker, including students and parents, as the Thrall Middle School educator requested to be formally reinstated as assistant track coach for the rest of track season. She will still remain a math teacher at the middle school, though.
“We’re greatly disappointed by the board’s decision,” Brim added. “Coach Flournoy-Walker and I are currently evaluating her appeal options.”
Thrall ISD business manager Blake Schneider presented the district’s case against Flournoy-Walker.
“The rationale behind the reassignment,” he said, “was that (Flournoy-Walker) could not be allowed to drive students. After three documented instances of unsafe driving practices, we don’t believe it’s safe for her to drive students at this time.”
During the session, trustees went behind closed doors for an hour to confer with district legal counsel, but when the school board members returned to open session, they immediately voted to uphold Walker’s removal and deny her request for reinstatement as coach.
Trustees Domingo Valdez and Stephanie Ochoa abstained.
Many of the attendees expressed consternation at the proceedings.
“The punishment just doesn’t seem to fit the situation,” said middle school coach and technology teacher Angeline Vrbsky.
After receiving a reprimand for driving in an unsafe manner in November, Flournoy-Walker was removed as the girls’ head basketball coach mid-season, district officials said.
According to them, in the most recent incident that instigated the reprimand and removal, a student reportedly told a parent that Walker drove over the speed limit returning them from a tournament in Austin.
Schneider said the vehicle’s Life360 app was checked, and Flournoy-Walker had been clocked driving at 91 miles per hour. Walker said she was traveling on a toll road and passed another vehicle.
Schneider also said several students reported separate incident where the educator didn’t put the vehicle she was driving in park, and it rolled backwards, a claim she has denied.
“I have repeatedly requested documentation and witness statements to substantiate this claim but have not received any,” Walker said.
Vrbsky noted other coaches have had similar driving incidents and were not reprimanded, much less removed from their coaching duties.
Students who came to support Walker, including her own children, dissolved into tears.
Trustees’ vote not to reinstate Flournoy-Walker came before attendees were allowed to speak on her behalf.
“You listen to our comments after you made your decision? This should have been done before,” said one parent.
Eleven people still addressed the board and spoke of Walker’s “exceptional professionalism,” enthusiasm and dedication to her students on and off the court.
“It’s disheartening to think that someone who has given so much to this community and (school) would be treated this way,” Vrbsky said.
